4 Warning Signs Your Dryer Vent Is Clogged, Plus a Blockage Test and DIY Cleanout

Most people never give it a second thought. You don’t need it until you really need it. What is it? Dryer vent cleaning.

If the airflow is restricted due to a clogged vent, poisonous exhaust gasses can back up into your home.

And then there’s the issue of lint, a highly flammable substance.

34% of fires are caused by dryer lint accumulating and not being cleaned out, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

What Happens When A Dryer Vent Is Blocked?

Clogged dryer vents can contribute to devastating and costly scenarios:

• Higher Utility Bills: Impaired energy performance means more effort is being made from your dryer, driving up your energy bills each month.
• Decreased Lifespan: Because your dryer is working hard to compensate for the blockage, its lifespan declines, forcing you to eventually pay for a new unit.
• House Fires: Lint is easy to set a flame on and should be disposed of regularly. Otherwise, you run the risk of a potential house fire, as mentioned earlier.
• Pests: Little critters like mice are looking for soft, warm spaces to habitat and build nests. Lint and dust offer the perfect environment.

Warning Signs That You Need Your Dryer Cleaned ASAP

Don’t remember the last time you cleaned your ducts? Schedule a dryer vent cleaning service from professionals to help keep you and your family safe.

And, before you do, always watch closely for these signs.

1. Longer Drying Cycles

It’s taking longer and longer to dry your clothes, bed sheets, and towels. It’s getting annoying. Not only that, the entire room feels hot and humid. This is because the air is prevented from circulating due to the debris stuffed in your vent.

2. Burning Smells

No. You’re not having a stroke. It’s probably the dryer, especially if there’s a strong, musty smell due to the humidity. If you smell something burning, the lint has already sparked from the heat.

It’s important to get your dryer cleaned by a professional immediately.

3. Dryer Is Hot To Touch

The issue doesn’t always have to be clogged vents. It could be a broken heating element, a damaged thermistor, or a ventilation block. It’s important to have a professional inspect your dryer to determine the root cause and best solution.

4. Visible Lint Or Debris Build-Up

Lint, dust, and debris are piling up fast - all over the place. It’s hard to ignore and easier to spot as it billows out of the external vent and protrudes from your internal duct tubing.

Signs like these are obvious, but ensuring your vent is blocked isn’t.

How can you test to make sure a vent is really blocked?

The Dryer Vent Blockage Test

Method #2: If the dryer is heating, but you notice that it takes over 55 minutes to dry a load of laundry, you’ve probably got a clog in the vent.

Method #3: Lastly, look to see if you have excess lint on your clothes. That’s a telltale sign.

How to Clean Out Your Dryer Vent (7-Step DIY Guide)

It’s highly recommended that a professionally trained and certified duct cleaning specialist take care of this for you. Why?

You can technically clean the exterior part of your dryer vent yourself.

Here are seven logical steps to cleaning your dryer vent:

• Find the outer vent
• Unplug the dryer’s hookups
• Unscrew the outer vent grill and vent cover
• Use a bristle brush to clean the inside area
• Use a small shop vac to suction out the lint
• Wash the vent cover with soap and water (dry it off)
• Screw the vent grill back on its original spot

Learn More: The Complete Dryer Duct Cleaning How to Guide

It’s a good rule of thumb to have your dryer vents inspected and cleaned by a professional NADCA-licensed company at least once a year.

If you use your dryer frequently, you might need to do it twice a year or even once a quarter (in extreme cases).

Book Your Dryer Duct Cleaning With Superior Air Duct

Interested in improving the lifespan of your dryer, avoiding lint fires, and lowering your utility bill? Superior Air Duct can do it for an affordable price.

We’ve spent over 20 years helping people in greater Youngstown, Ohio, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, get clean dryer ducts.

Call to schedule your dryer vent cleaning service!